Improvement in barrel-heads



rrnn STATES PATENT Orrron.

JAMES W. TAYLOR, OF ASHLAND, VIRGINIA,AS SIGN OR OF ONE-HALF OF HI RIGHTTO DUN CAN B. COX, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARREL-HEADS- Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 130,600, dated August 20, 187.

To all whom it may concern: dle of the cross-bar'a transverse slot iscut in Be it known that I, JAMES W. TAYLOR, of it, in which slides akey, E, one end of which Ashland, Hanover county and State of Viris madewedege-shaped, as shown at c, in orginia, have invented a newImprovement in der to fit, into'the space a, and expand theBarrel-Heads; and I do hereby declare the folring; while the other endis, preferably, headlowing to be afull,'clear and exact description edor provided with-some form of handle 0 of the same, reference being hadto the acby which it can be moved back and forth. A companying drawingforming part of this notch, e or slot may be provided, to which tospecification, in whichattach a lock or seal that, when in place, willFigure l is a top plan, 'and Fig. 2 a vertical prevent the key frombeing slid back to libsection. erate the barrel-head. Suitablethumb-pieces Similar letters of reference in the accompaor catches, a,may be attached to or formed in nying drawing indicate the same parts.the ring, for convenience in contracting it The object of this inventionis to provide when the wedge is removed, and lifting the for public usean improved barrel-head, which whole head out of the barrel. can beeasily and readily inserted into and se- It is obvious that the sameconstruction cured in the barrel, or removed therefrom withmay beemployed in connection with the 00v out loosening thehoops. To thisendthe inveners of fruit-cans and other jars and that, by tion consistsin combining with the main porusing a packing around the edges of therin tion of the barrel-head a circumferential ring, the whole may besealed air-tight. adapted to fit the croze, and capable of being Whenconstructed and used as a barrelexpanded or contracted. by the insertionor head, the arrangement above described is removal of a wedge betweenthe segments very inexpensive. Every part maybe formed constituting thering, substantially as I will of wood, and yet be strong and durable.The now proceed to describe. device will be adapted for use as a barrel-In the drawing, 0 is a circular piece of head during the transportationof the cask, wood or metal, constituting the main portion and may bereadily locked or sealed, so that of the head, and fitting loosely intothe barits contents cannot be tampered with. rel B while A is a ring ofwood or metal or When the cask arrives at its destination, as otherspringyniaterial, divided at byawedgesoon as the lock or seal isremoved, the head shaped opening, and attached to the upper can at oncebe taken out without starting the side of the head, so as to projectoverit and hoops, andthereafter it may be employed as a fit into the, crozewhen sprung or. pressed outneat and convenient barrel-cover. Fordomesward. The ring A may be made in segments, tic use-for the purposeof covering the famibut preferably I make it a single piece, secured lyflour-barrel, sugar-barrel, &c.it will be to the barrel-head by a screwor nut at d, opvery convenient and valuable, as it closes the posite tothe opening at a, as shown 5 and I barrel tight,-so that vermin,insects, &c., canmake the-opening a wide enough to permit not get in;and when not in use it can be the two ends of the ring to be sprungtolocked securely from the depredations of sergether, so as to liberateits outer edge from vants.

the croze, and enable the head to be removed The heads may be made ofdifferent sizes, from the barrel. In order to strengthen the and soldseparately from the barrel, as a new ring and guide its movement whenexpanded article of manufacture,being adapted either or contracted Iattach to the part 0 a crossto old or new casks.

bar, D, the ends of which are recessed under- Having thus described myinvention, what neath to permit the play of the ring, while I claim isthe upperside projects over the ring to hold The circular piece 0, ringA, key E, and it securely down in place, and prevent it from guide D,combined and operating substantialbeing wrenclied or broken in insertingor reas described.

moving the iiead. Other; guides, similar to JAMES W. TAYLOR. the ends ofthe cross-bar, may be employed i at other points around the barrel-head,if de- Witnesses: sired but in general the cross-bar will be snf- N. K.ELLSWORTH, ficient for all practical purposes. At the mid- M. CHURCH.

J..A'. THAYER.

Improvement in Apparatus for Melting Metals.

N0. 130,601, Patented Aug.20,187 2 f fizzf

